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Sat 12 Mar 2016
Old Uffingtonians
Icarus Senior Squad
2
4
A Toogood (0'), T Somerville (0'), (0'), A Steele (0')
Icarus Senior Squad v Old Uffingtonians
Icarus FC12 Mar 2016 - 17:00
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Match report
RAF ICARUS FC WIN THE AFA CHALLENGE CUP
1. The preparation was perfect, the sun was shining and the playing surface could only be described as a lush green carpet. While the Premiership teams were fighting it out in the FA Cup, RAF Icarus had their own Cup to contest, the AFA Challenge Cup. Having narrowly missed out on a place in the AFA Middlesex/Essex Cup final a few weeks before after a penalty shoot-out, Icarus were focused and ready to make amends.
2. Setting off from RAF Northolt, the squad bus and supporters arrived at the Bank of England sports ground full of confidence, ready to take on Old Uffingtonians FC (OUFC) in the final of the AFA Challenge Cup. Icarus took this confidence into the match and started the game on the front foot with Flt Lt Alex Toogood, Fg Off Tom Somerville and Fg Off Dave Turnbull all finding space down the wings. However, a defensive mistake gifted the ball to the OUFC winger who found their striker who slotted home, 0-1 OUFC. The lead was to be short lived as Turnbull beat his man with an audacious flick and set up Somerville who puts it away from 6 yards out, 1-1.
3. After some good exchanges of play by both sides, a mistake in middle by Icarus once again proved costly as the ball was fed through to OUFCs rapid front man who makes no mistake in front of goal, 1-2 OUFC. OUFC were then lucky not to go down to 10 men when a terrible tackle on Icarus Captain Flt Lt Matt Williams was only punished with a yellow.
4. In the opening minutes of the first half Icarus went straight onto the offensive. Showing the strength of character Icarus are renowned for, after some ping pong in the box as Icarus shots were blocked, the ball fell to Somerville who smashes home from 12 yards out, 2-2.
5. With the game level, it continued at a competitive cup tempo, a few yellow cards were dished out to both sides but Icarus were looking more dangerous. For the last 10 minutes, Icarus finally had the man advantage as the OUFC winger received a second booking for diving but they could not capitalize as they hit the woodwork twice, 2-2 FT – extra time beckoned.
6. In the first half of ET, Icarus piled on the pressure and took the lead for the first time in the match as the OUFC keeper had a shocker as he turned Toogood shot into his own net as it span back towards the goal after coming off the post, 3-2 Icarus. With 15 minutes remaining, the tension built and OUFC had a decent penalty claim waved away as Dan Turner made a precision timed recovery tackle to deny the OUFC striker. Finally, RAF Icarus put the game to bed as Substitute Fg Off Ash Steele scored with 5 minutes remaining and the Icarus support were able to begin celebrating. FT 4-2 RAF Icarus.
7. After receiving the trophy, RAF Icarus Director of Football Sqn Ldr John Hetherington said, ”This is a reward for a lot of hard work from all involved with the Club. It seems along time since we attending our training camp in Holland and Flt Lt Heap and the players have excelled all season since then. The players would be the first to admit it was not our best performance of the season, but in a Cup Final the result is the only thing that counts!”
8. Icarus Team Manager - Flt Lt Heap – has developed a group of young RAF Officers into a team of winners and Icarus go into the remaining Inter-Services match in May against The Army Crusaders full of confidence and ready to bring more silverware home to The Rob Swinney Lounge at RAF Halton.
Icarus Squad:
Sqn Ldr M Bowden, Fg Off D Turner, Fg Off S Wain, Sqn Ldr A Arnison, Flt Lt S Tyers, Flt Lt M Williams, Flt Lt K Hickinbotham, Flt Lt A Hutchings, Flt Lt D Turnbull, Flt Lt A Toogood, Fg Off T Somerville, Flt Lt A Steele, Flt Lt A Wright, Flt Lt R Campbell, Flt Lt C Dixon, Flt Lt C Woolett, Flt Lt T Boxall, Fg Off A Flemming, Sgt J Rose
1. The preparation was perfect, the sun was shining and the playing surface could only be described as a lush green carpet. While the Premiership teams were fighting it out in the FA Cup, RAF Icarus had their own Cup to contest, the AFA Challenge Cup. Having narrowly missed out on a place in the AFA Middlesex/Essex Cup final a few weeks before after a penalty shoot-out, Icarus were focused and ready to make amends.
2. Setting off from RAF Northolt, the squad bus and supporters arrived at the Bank of England sports ground full of confidence, ready to take on Old Uffingtonians FC (OUFC) in the final of the AFA Challenge Cup. Icarus took this confidence into the match and started the game on the front foot with Flt Lt Alex Toogood, Fg Off Tom Somerville and Fg Off Dave Turnbull all finding space down the wings. However, a defensive mistake gifted the ball to the OUFC winger who found their striker who slotted home, 0-1 OUFC. The lead was to be short lived as Turnbull beat his man with an audacious flick and set up Somerville who puts it away from 6 yards out, 1-1.
3. After some good exchanges of play by both sides, a mistake in middle by Icarus once again proved costly as the ball was fed through to OUFCs rapid front man who makes no mistake in front of goal, 1-2 OUFC. OUFC were then lucky not to go down to 10 men when a terrible tackle on Icarus Captain Flt Lt Matt Williams was only punished with a yellow.
4. In the opening minutes of the first half Icarus went straight onto the offensive. Showing the strength of character Icarus are renowned for, after some ping pong in the box as Icarus shots were blocked, the ball fell to Somerville who smashes home from 12 yards out, 2-2.
5. With the game level, it continued at a competitive cup tempo, a few yellow cards were dished out to both sides but Icarus were looking more dangerous. For the last 10 minutes, Icarus finally had the man advantage as the OUFC winger received a second booking for diving but they could not capitalize as they hit the woodwork twice, 2-2 FT – extra time beckoned.
6. In the first half of ET, Icarus piled on the pressure and took the lead for the first time in the match as the OUFC keeper had a shocker as he turned Toogood shot into his own net as it span back towards the goal after coming off the post, 3-2 Icarus. With 15 minutes remaining, the tension built and OUFC had a decent penalty claim waved away as Dan Turner made a precision timed recovery tackle to deny the OUFC striker. Finally, RAF Icarus put the game to bed as Substitute Fg Off Ash Steele scored with 5 minutes remaining and the Icarus support were able to begin celebrating. FT 4-2 RAF Icarus.
7. After receiving the trophy, RAF Icarus Director of Football Sqn Ldr John Hetherington said, ”This is a reward for a lot of hard work from all involved with the Club. It seems along time since we attending our training camp in Holland and Flt Lt Heap and the players have excelled all season since then. The players would be the first to admit it was not our best performance of the season, but in a Cup Final the result is the only thing that counts!”
8. Icarus Team Manager - Flt Lt Heap – has developed a group of young RAF Officers into a team of winners and Icarus go into the remaining Inter-Services match in May against The Army Crusaders full of confidence and ready to bring more silverware home to The Rob Swinney Lounge at RAF Halton.
Icarus Squad:
Sqn Ldr M Bowden, Fg Off D Turner, Fg Off S Wain, Sqn Ldr A Arnison, Flt Lt S Tyers, Flt Lt M Williams, Flt Lt K Hickinbotham, Flt Lt A Hutchings, Flt Lt D Turnbull, Flt Lt A Toogood, Fg Off T Somerville, Flt Lt A Steele, Flt Lt A Wright, Flt Lt R Campbell, Flt Lt C Dixon, Flt Lt C Woolett, Flt Lt T Boxall, Fg Off A Flemming, Sgt J Rose
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